The present application relates to a yield stress measurement device and related methods.
Wellbore operations relating to hydrocarbon exploration and production often use a variety of complex fluids. An important property of a wellbore fluid is its rheology, and specific rheological parameters are intended for specific wellbore operations. For example, in drilling operations, a drilling fluid should be sufficiently viscous to suspend particulate weighting agents and drilled cuttings and to carry the cuttings to the well surface, but not so viscous to be unpumpable or cause formation damage. Formation damage may be caused when the drilling fluid exerts too much pressure on the walls of the wellbore such that cracks form and extend into the surrounding formation. These cracks may then become locations for the drilling fluid to leak from the wellbore into the formation and cause loss circulation issues.
The yield stress of a fluid is one rheological property that relates to the amount of energy needed to initiate flow of the fluid. Currently, yield stress is measured with a rheometer or viscometer, which is a specialized piece of equipment. Operation of some rheometers and viscometers at a well site may be ambiguous and time-consuming. Additionally, the equipment may have several moving parts such that if the equipment breaks in the field, it is often more efficient to replace the equipment than repair on-site, which may delay the wellbore operation.